The Earrings and Ring
by What a Rubber Chicken
Summary: "Many centuries ago, magic jewels bestowing extraordinary powers were created. These were... the Miraculous." A little snippet of how Tikki and Plagg came to be.


I began this as a part of a larger, chaptered story that I am currently working on, but I wanted to see what people thought about this backstory idea for Tikki and Plagg. Feedback is appreciated!

(To all my fans in other stories: Yes. I am alive. Yes, I intend to update, and will pepper you with excuses later. All my love!)

Standard disclaimer: I do not own any of the named characters and am not associated with Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir in any way. (Though if they want to change that, I am looking for a job!) I am making no profit from this and have no money. Don't sue me.

...

 **The Earrings and Ring**

Images swam before Marinette's eyes.

A full moon. A large crowd of people. A bonfire. Torches everywhere in key places in a strange design drawn and dug into the ground. Chanting from people in hooded robes of various colors. And there, in the center of the symbol, was a cage with a black figure that seemed to be made of smoke and darkness inside, screaming and attacking the bars, trying its hardest to get out.

"Nooooo!" it screamed. "You can't do this to me! I won't do it! I REFUSE!" Shrieking, it tried to shake the cage, but it remained firmly in place.

"Please try to calm down. It will all be over soon," said a familiar voice beside Marinette. Surprised, she turned to see Tikki floating beside one of the people in red robes. But it wasn't Tikki as Marinette knew her. She was three times as big, for one. Her little tail had become two, much longer, and rippling and graceful behind her. Instead of spots, she wore a crown of flowers around her head. And where her eyes had been a beautiful blue, they now had no pupils or irises, but were black, with galaxies of stars shining inside. But it was still Tikki, of that Marinette was certain.

The thing in the cage saw her as well. "TRAITOR!" it roared. "I WILL GET YOU BACK FOR THIS, IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!"

"Goddess?" the man in the red robe asked.

"Proceed," Tikki said, resolute. Around them, the chanting increased. From its indestructible cage, the creature hissed and glared at her with bright green eyes. Eyes that, even as Marinette watched, were becoming smaller, and more focused. Light filled the area, and when Marinette could see again, inside the cage was the very familiar shape of a certain black kwami collapsed on the floor. And beside him lay a familiar silver ring, twinkling innocently in the firelight.

All around, the crowd cheered and congratulated each other, some of them exclaiming at how a once-terrifying force of destruction and death now had cute kitty ears. The figures in robes shushed them. Regally, Tikki approached the cage.

"Rise, kwami of the black cat," she said. "You may choose your name."

Inside, the black kwami groaned as he rose and hissed at her. "A plague on all of you, on all humankind!" he shouted. The crowd around them gasped. "That's all I will be! That's all you will get from me! A plague! _That_ is my name! That is my power! Plagg! And I bring you nothing but destruction and bad luck!" He flew over to the silver ring and touched it, still glaring defiantly.

"So mote it be," he growled. The ring flashed and turned black as Plagg disappeared inside of it.

Tikki closed her eyes. "So mote it be," she repeated softly.

At that, the crowd around them started panicking; screaming, moaning and pleading with the newest kwami to take back his curse.

"Goddess!" the man in the red robes said, rushing over to Tikki, "isn't there anything we can do?"

"I'm afraid not," Tikki said, shaking her head. "The rules of the Miracle Gems are clear; the kwami must pick his own power. And the god of destruction's powers are strong indeed. You must chose his master very carefully."

"Never!" the priest swore. "We'll hide the ring! Bury it and forget it ever existed!"

"Then Plagg's anger will only grow," Tikki said sorrowfully. "Eventually, not even the magic we wove tonight will contain him, and he will be released to wreak havoc on the world."

"But then, what can we do? He is already so much stronger than the other Miraculous wielders. We can not set him loose! The temptation to use such power for evil…" the priest trailed off, his eyes reflecting the horror of their situation.

Tikki frowned at the cage, considering. "He needs… balance. A check on his power. A… partner," she said, her eyes lighting up. She turned to the priest in red robes. "Gather everyone back here," she ordered. "And begin the chant anew."

"But, great goddess!" the priest protested. "Surely, you don't mean—"

"I do," Tikki said, firmly, floating to the cage. She turned back to the priest and smiled. "Trust me," she said. "As I trust you."

"Which form will you take, great goddess?" the priest asked, swallowing. "A dog, to fight the cat?"

Tikki regarded him a moment, frowning. "I do not wish to fight Plagg," she corrected, "I wish to help him see the goodness and beauty of the world. I will need a form that will not give him offense. Something small and unassuming."

"A mouse, then?"

She gave him a wry grin. "I'd really rather he didn't associate me with food, actually," she said. The priest flushed, stammering out apologies. "Something smaller. A bug, perhaps," she mused. Then her eyes lit on the man's red robes. "A ladybug!"

The man gaped at her. "A ladybug, my goddess?"

"Yes! Perfect!" Tikki said, nodding to herself and continuing to the cage. The man stumbled after her.

His hands shaking, the red-robed priest produced a key and unlocked the cage, calling on the crowd to gather once again. They did so, confused murmurs permeating throughout. Some seemed to figure out what was happening sooner than others, and called out to Tikki.

"Goddess, do you mean for us to imprison you as well?"

"Don't do it, great goddess!"

"Goddess, we love you!"

"Goddess—"

"Hush now, all of you," Tikki called softly. Instantly, they fell silent. "I do this of my own free will." The bars of the cage opened, and she turned and seemed to almost shimmer inside. The red priest reached for the cat ring, but Tikki shook her head. "Leave it," she said, looking at it fondly. "I think, in a way, we were always meant to be together." She looked up at the priest.

"You must always release us together," she commanded. "We must maintain the balance."

The priest nodded and shut the cage, backing up to his original spot in the circle.

"You may begin," Tikki said, bowing her head.

Once again, the chant filled the air. But where it had been ominous before, the people sang now with light and love for the goddess who was giving herself over to them. This was no desperate chaining, but an act of kindness and sacrifice. Their great goddess was looking out for them, and would give them everything she had. As the chant rose higher and light filled the air once again, Marinette saw tears on many of their faces.

The light faded to reveal a tiny, pink kwami, whose form Marinette knew very well, sitting calmly on the floor of her cage. Before her sat two black, round earrings. She opened her eyes and floated up, smiling.

"I am the kwami of the lucky ladybug!" she declared cheerfully. "I bring you good fortune and the power to create that which will help you on your chosen path. My name…," she paused for a moment, considering, then shrugged. "…is Tikki!" With that, she swooped down to her earrings and pressed her hands against them. "So mote it be!" she chirped. The earrings flashed to their usual red with black spots and Tikki disappeared inside.

Instead of celebrating, like they had with Plagg, the crowd fell into a respectful silence. Then, the priest in the red robe snorted in laughter, tears still falling down his face.

"Tikki," he repeated. "She chose a name that means 'happiness.' So she can combat his anger. And bring us happiness. How very typical of the great goddess!" he fell to his knees, crying.

But not for long. Instead, he pounded the ground with his fists and called out to the crowd.

"Friends! Let us rejoice! For this night, we have captured the last of the forces of mischief and destruction and, with the help of our great goddess, have turned them into Miraculous gems that we can use for the good of all mankind! Hail to Tikki! Hail to Plagg! The greatest of the Miraculous!" he shouted.

"HAIL!" the crowd roared in response.

And the scene faded from Marinette's eyes.


End file.
